promise me, ned
by Elizabeth Blossom
Summary: It's Lyanna's last moments and she's glad that she has the two most important men in her life with her in them.


I love Lyanna so much. That's all I can really say.

* * *

She knew it would be Ned. She knew it would be her sweet, kind, quiet brother that would find her, though she also knew it would be too late to save her; the blood that was sticky on the sheets and between her thighs told her that. Lyanna had brought her son into this world with the sound of her brother fighting the men who guarded her and Lyanna tried to yell for Ned, tried to yell to explain to him that he had gotten it wrong, that she hadn't been kidnapped; but she was weak from the birth she had been forced to go through alone and she couldn't make it to the window to tell him. She couldn't yell loud enough to tell him though she once had the strength to, and more.

That was two years and an innocence lost ago and Lyanna thought how right her death now seemed. She had started this war that led to her son and the death of so many lives, and it was only right that she should spill her blood over a life at the end of it all.

Lyanna held her son close to her as she heard the fighting stop and Lyanna thought for a brief and terrible moment that someone other than Ned would come up those stairs and Lyanna wondered who it would be.

But she then heard Ned scream her name and the tower door open. Lyanna felt a few tears fall. Her brother was safe, her beautiful son was safe and healthy and alive, and she would die with the two men she loved most in the world and that was all she could ask for.

That was probably what many soldiers in this war she had caused wanted, for the people they loved to be with them when they died, and Lyanna knew that she deserved to die more than they did. But she had already been more selfish than anyone else could possibly be, so what was the harm in being a little more? She wanted Ned and her son and that was all.

Ned came bursting through the door of her chamber, followed silently by Howland Reed. Upon seeing her, they both froze and Lyanna would have laughed if it wasn't so sad. As it was, she managed a weak grin that became grimace of pain half through the action. Ned turned to Howland when he saw it; and told him in a low and dark voice to find someone, anyone to save her. Lyanna didn't know how to tell Ned that no one could. Lyanna didn't know how to tell Ned she just wanted him to hold her.

Luckily, Lyanna didn't need to. Her brother just immediately knew, and crossed across the room to pull her into his arms. He stopped a few feet ahead of her when he saw her son.

Jon, she had named him in her mind. Many Northern Kings had that strong name, and she wanted her son, the true King of Westeros, to have a king's name. She couldn't name him Brandon or Rickard, those wounds had never healed but simply festered and besides she did not deserve to give her child that name, but Jon was a good name. She liked the name Jon.

He looked like the North, like Ned, with soft brown hair and big gray eyes. Lyanna didn't think she had ever seen a more beautiful baby.

"Lya," Ned said, and there were so many emotions in his voice that he put in her name that Lyanna closed her eyes in hopes to stop the tears.

"It wasn't rape," she said. It was all she could say. She knew how it must've looked, she had left no letter and had never had a chance to send any, but Rhaegar had been so kind, so sweet, that Lyanna had run. She hadn't planned on it, the night he had arrived at the outskirts at Winterfell, but he was handsome and brave and strong and she truly didn't want to marry Robert and she didn't know how to tell anyone that, not even Ned.

And then her father and brother had died and all she wanted was Ned.

All she needed was Ned and Rhaegar couldn't give him to her.

All she needed was the North and Rhaegar wouldn't give it to her.

She knew what the Seven Kingdoms would be saying about her after she died. They would call her Lyanna, the stupid, selfish whore that ran off with a married prince because the lord she didn't want to marry bedded to many women for her tastes. Lyanna didn't care. It was the truth after all.

She just hoped that Jon wouldn't believe it, not completely.

Lyanna looked at her brother, at his wide gray eyes that were so much like her's. Brandon and Benjen had Mother's ice-blue, but she and Ned had their father's gray, so dark they almost seemed black.

Jon had those eyes and before Lyanna realized it, she was crying.

"Can you please hold me? I don't want to die alone," she begged. She knew how selfish she was, but she couldn't help it. She needed Ned to hold her, she needed the comfort that he didn't think her a completely horrible person.

"Lya!" Ned said again, even more emotions creeping into his voice, and he closed the distance between them. He sat down gingerly on the bed next to her and Lyanna immediately rested her head on his shoulder and he automatically put his arm around her.

The pain from the birth was leaving and all Lyanna was left with a growing sense of cold and numbness. Ned was looking at Jon, and slowly reached up his hand to stroke Jon's cheek. Her son kicked his legs and cooed as his uncle did it, and Ned smiled widely. She was glad. She knew Ned would love her son. Whatever issues he would have with her, he would never take them out on her son.

"This is Jon, Ned. He's my son. My beautiful, perfect, wonderful son."

"I have a son too," he said suddenly and a jolt of surprise went through Lyanna. She didn't know that. She should've known that.

"Who's the wonderful mother?" She was getting so tired, but she wanted to know the woman that had given birth to her nephew, to Ned's son. The woman that might just hopefully take care of her son since Lyanna wouldn't be able to do that herself.

"Catelyn Tully." Catelyn Tully? That was odd. She didn't think that Ned had ever met her, let alone met her enough times to fall in love with her. Ned continued, and Lyanna realized that she was far from the truth. "We married because that was the only way Hoster Tully would give us troops. I married Catelyn, Jon Arryn married Lysa, and we got the troops."

"What's his name?" Lyanna mumbled. She was so cold. "What's his name, Ned?"

"Robb," he said. "She named him Robb." Ned must have named him after Robert. Robert. Lyanna had never wanted to marry him, and though she wished she had thought her escape better, she didn't regret running. He would get over her though. He would find a nice girl and forget all about her.

Lyanna grinned weakly. "Robb Stark. That's a good name."

They spent a moment in silence before Lyanna spoke again. "What was it like, your wedding? I know you were handsome, but what else was she like? Catelyn, what she like?"

Ned was quiet for a few seconds before he spoke again. "She was beautiful. Brandon had told me she was beautiful, but I didn't realize how much. She walked down the aisle in the sept, her red hair streaming behind her and her blue eyes nervous, yet strong. . . .

"She was amazing."

"Careful Ned, you say anything more, and you'll ruin your reputation."

Ned laughed. "What reputation?"

"You know the one."

Ned sighed, but he still wore a smile. "Yes. I do."

Ned looked at Jon again. "I like his name."

"Yes, it's a good Stark name," Lyanna said softly. "At least I think so. Don't you?"

"Yes. I think it's a wonderful name."

Lyanna smiled. She was so tired. "Ned, promise me that you'll take care of him. That you'll make sure he's safe and he'll never want for anything. Please make sure."

"You'll be able to do that, Lya." Ned sounded so desperate. He always had been good on convincing himself of something that was never going to be. Lyanna hoped that trait would never harm him in the future. "Don't think otherwise."

Each of her siblings had been born in a different season, all short. Brandon had been born in autumn and Benjen had been born in a spring. Ned had been born in summer and she thought it was obvious.

Lyanna herself had been born in a winter that was as cold as she now felt. She licked her dry lips before she spoke again, "Promise me, Ned."

"Lya!"

"Promise me!" Was she crying? She felt like she was crying.

"Lya, you are not going to die."

"I don't want to, but I am! I don't want my son to grow up with Robert for King, but he is! I never wanted Brandon and Father to die, but they did! Accept it, Ned! Just accept what you cannot change."

Ned took a shaky breath. "Very well. I promise. I promise you that I will look after your son the best I possibly can. I promise to give him everything I have. I promise to lay down my life for Jon if I have a life to give. I promise you, Lya."

Lyanna smiled. She didn't feel as cold anymore.

She felt warm and free.


End file.
